OPINION
New Zealand society is quietly facing two alarming demographic trends that could have long-term consequences: a significant rise in excess deaths and a rapid decline in birth rates. Both phenomena have triggered concerns among some citizens, yet they remain largely uncommented on by the government and the media.
Rising Excess Deaths Raise Alarms
New Zealand's excess deaths have surged, with the death rate now 24 per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019. This troubling spike has been met with silence from authorities, who have yet to address the underlying causes or potential solutions. Some commentators, like Guy Hatchard from Globe Global, have linked the rise in deaths to the country’s biotechnology experiments, particularly focusing on the widespread rollout of Covid-19 vaccines.
https://globe.global/excess-deaths-roll-on-in-new-zealand-uncommented-by-the-government-or-media/
Hatchard argues that New Zealand’s pursuit of biotechnology deregulation poses serious risks to public health, and I agree. He suggests that a lack of transparency and caution around these technologies has led to increased mortality rates. While these claims remain controversial, the government’s lack of public discourse on the issue is creating a vacuum, allowing such concerns to flourish unchecked. The lack of government and media responsibility is a worry, and it leaves us all wondering why. We are left to guess about the possible dangers of unregulated biotechnological advances.
Birth Rate Hits 30-Year Low in Wellington
At the same time, New Zealand is grappling with a dramatic decline in its birth rate. Wellington, the capital, has seen its lowest birth rate in 30 years, reflecting a national trend of declining fertility. Economists and demographers say many things are causing this drop, including the rising cost of living, changing family priorities, and couples waiting too long to have kids, then facing fertility issues. But is there an elephant in the room that nobody is talking about. What could that be? I will leave you to speculate.
https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350375133/wellingtons-birth-rate-hits-30-year-low
Another worry is the increase in miscarriages and stillbirths. There is also a worrying decrease in both male and female fertility, which some think may be linked to similar causes that are driving the increase in excess deaths. If so, there could be a common factor, such as a widespread experimental medical procedure, that is contributing to both trends. This article might give you a clue:
This link remains speculative but highlights the urgent need to investigate and identify these root causes. Unfortunately, there appears to be a great reluctance to properly investigate these concerns.
A Worrying Combination
Taken together, these two crises — rising excess deaths and a declining birth rate — pose serious questions about the future of New Zealand society. On one end, the country is losing lives at an unprecedented rate, while on the other, fewer children are being born to sustain the population. If both trends continue, New Zealand could face a shrinking, ageing population, with profound and catastrophic implications for the nation’s social and economic health.
Immigration as a Band-Aid Solution?
A further concern is that the government, facing these mounting demographic pressures, is taking the easy way out by further opening New Zealand's borders to immigration.
While immigration from countries like the Philippines provides a source of hard-working, lovely people, it also carries economic risks. The influx of workers from poorer nations could drive down wages for all New Zealanders, particularly in lower-skilled sectors. This wage compression threatens to erode New Zealand’s once-enviable high standard of living, making it harder for families to get by in an already challenging economic environment.
If immigration is used as a quick fix to bolster the workforce, it could worsen inequalities and increase pressure on public services, housing, and infrastructure. Moreover, relying too much on immigration could delay fixing the main reasons for the country's population and economic problems. This would make long-term social and economic instability worse.
Threats to Societal Peace and Unity
Another key concern surrounding high rates of immigration is the potential strain on social cohesion. Without careful integration, rapid immigration risks fragmenting New Zealand society, leading to the formation of ethnic and racial enclaves. These enclaves, where different ethnic groups live in isolation from one another, can threaten societal peace and unity if integration is not prioritised.
The creation of such enclaves can lead to a sense of division within communities, where certain areas become dominated by one particular ethnic or racial group. This separation may foster feelings of alienation among both immigrants and locals, eroding the shared values and sense of belonging that are vital to maintaining societal harmony. Enclaves can become breeding grounds for misunderstandings, prejudice, and social tensions.
In extreme cases, a lack of integration could result in ethnic or racial conflicts, destabilising the peace and unity that New Zealand has traditionally enjoyed. This type of social fragmentation can also undermine democracy, as people may increasingly identify along ethnic lines rather than as a unified national community. The danger is that instead of becoming part of the broader social fabric, immigrant populations remain marginalised, creating long-term challenges for national cohesion.
Real Solutions: Addressing the Root Causes
The real solutions lie not in short-term fixes but in identifying and addressing the underlying causes of both the falling birth rate and the excess deaths. It is critical to examine factors contributing to increased miscarriages, stillbirths, and high mortality rates, which could share a common origin. Whether these are tied to a widespread medical procedure or other causes, uncovering the truth is essential for moving forward.
One vital step is strengthening the family unit and encouraging couples to have more children. This can be done by creating supportive social and economic conditions, including affordable housing, job security, and policies that make child-rearing more feasible for young families. New Zealand needs to foster a culture that values family and encourages population growth organically, rather than relying on immigration as a demographic crutch.
A Call for Action
New Zealand is at a critical juncture. The country's rising death rates and fewer births, along with the risk of more immigration leading to lower wages and social division, could negatively change our society and economy.
Without swift action to investigate and address the root causes of these worrying trends, the nation's long-term stability is at risk.
Encouraging family growth, identifying the sources of excess deaths, ensuring immigrant integration, and fostering open public dialogue are all necessary steps to secure a prosperous and sustainable future for New Zealand.
This article was originally published by garymoller.com.
